Butterfly Under Glass Dome
by sofia313
Summary: He called her his butterfly. She had been his from the moment he laid eyes on her and he wasn't going to share her with anyone.
1. Prologue

**Prologue  
**

Lucien's penthouse was full of people, vampires and their human blood bags. There was music and plenty of very expensive alcohol. Champagne, scotch, bourbon, brandy, Lucien had spared no expenses. This was after all the first party he threw in New Orleans and he wanted to get to know the local vampires. Most of his guests were young and useless, but he had always enjoyed a good party. And he most definitely enjoyed being the center of attention.

His guests seemed to be having a good time. Lucien took a sip out of his glass and smiled while observing few dancing couples. He couldn't help but wonder if his butterfly would like to dance. She had been moody ever since they had arrived to New Orleans. Perhaps he should see if she was still pouting at him. She certainly knew how to be difficult. He headed to the part of the penthouse that was off limit from everyone except him. As always, the door to her room was locked and sealed with magic.

It was all for her own protection. He would never let anyone to touch his sweet butterfly. He was the only one who had the key and he knocked before unlocking the door. Her room would have fit for a royalty; the decoration had cost a fortune. It made no difference; his butterfly deserved only the best. Luxurious canopy covered bed with floral print bed line, two bed side lamp, decorative mirror dressing table, a bookshelf, two comfortable armchairs, a huge bathroom with a bathtub and a walk-in-closet.

"Darling?" he called while entering the room.

He didn't get any reply. Apparently she was still pouting. Quickly his eyes scanned the room; she was standing in front of the window behind the long light curtains. He saw that she was barefoot and she was wearing a short white dress. Her copper curls were everywhere as usual, falling down along her shoulders.

"Darling?"

She didn't move or say anything; she simply stared out at the night.

"Still pouting, are we?" he stated and noticed the untouched dinner on the table. "Alright, how can I make this better?"

"You can't," she replied icily.

He smiled and slowly walked over to her. At least she was speaking to him.

"I'm sure I can. What does my butterfly want?"

She clenched her fists and turned angrily to look at him.

"Stop it," she snapped. "We both know you don't care what I want. We wouldn't have come here if you would care."

"Darling…" he started and tried to touch her face, but she slapped his hand. He frowned, not many people could slap him and live. "Careful," he warned.

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

"I'm not your pet, Lucien," she snapped. "You can't just drag me anywhere you please and expect me to accept it."

"That's a little overdramatic, don't you think? Have I not always taken a good care of you?"

"That's because you want something from me," she replied coolly.

Lucien couldn't really deny that. He did want more than one thing from her. He had wanted her from the moment he had first seen her. In that moment he had known that she belonged to him. Only to him. She sighed tiredly and looked into his eyes.

"A gilded cage is still a cage."

"I have done everything I can to protect you," he replied. "I think we both know you need my protection." He paused and touched her cheek, this time she didn't stop him. "And I think we both know how important you are to me."

She bit her bottom lip when he caressed her neck with his thumb.

"I need to solve things with my sire," he said. "And I need to know that I have you by my side. Do I?"

She sighed and nodded.

"You do, but don't think that I would have forgiven you."

He grinned and touched her hair.

"Let's see if I can find a way to earn your forgiveness."

A flush was rising in her cheeks when he gently touched her breast through her dress. He loved it that he was still able to make her react like that. She was the only woman who had meant anything to him after he had become a vampire. He had been called cruel, vicious and sadistic, and he was all of those things and more, but there was one tiny soft spot in his dead heart. Her. His precious little butterfly.


	2. Finding his butterfly

**I decided to write few more chapters of this since some of you requested that. Thank you for the feedback.**

* * *

 **Finding his butterfly**

 _England, 1865_

 _Lucien Castle was bored. He was attending yet another celebration, just like almost every night. The host was Sir Charles Tayburn, a very dull and gloomy middle-aged nobleman. His mansion was of course luxurious and the champagne was excellent, but Lucien expected nothing less. He had traveled across England couple of weeks now and his trip had been very successful so far. The old noble families owned surprisingly many ancient artifacts that could be useful to Lucien one way or the other. He had been collecting those artifacts for centuries. Anything that would make him more powerful._

 _Yet he had quickly noticed that he hadn't really missed the old aristocratic ways while living in America. These English nobles were maybe stiff, but he did enjoy playing with the noble girls. Many of them were looking at him right now, although they tried to hide it. He smiled charmingly at one of them, making her blush and bow her head. Too easy. He sighed and picked up a glass of champagne from a waiter. As far as he knew, Sir Charles didn't own anything that would have interested him, but these events could be useful in other ways._

 _Socializing with humans didn't interest him, but unfortunately it was required sometimes. He was a very successful businessman after all. That didn't change the fact that he was utterly bored. After a brief consideration he decided to take a little walk outside. Perhaps he could grab a bite. He made his way to the doors that led to the garden. They were open for the guests who needed some fresh air._

 _The night sky was starry and the moon was full. He walked around aimlessly, looking for a suitable snack. Then he saw her, a young woman standing next to a rosebush, looking up at the sky. She had a petite frame, her long copper hair was down and she was wearing a modest light blue and white dress. He could only see a part of her face, but that was more than enough. For some reason he found himself staring at her. There was something about her that was drawing him towards her._

 _Mine. Mine. Mine…_

 _Suddenly she sensed his presence and turned to look at him. Her big hazel eyes observed him cautiously._

 _"Hello," she said, she sounded a little insecure._

 _He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She tilted her head and took a step towards him._

 _"Are you alright, sir?"_

 _Finally he managed to clear his throat._

 _"Yes… Yes, I'm fine."_

 _She observed his face with a worried expression, he noticed her silver necklace. A butterfly._

 _"Are you sure? I can get you a glass of water…"_

 _"No! I mean… That won't be necessary, thank you." He paused and stepped in front of her. "My name is Lucien."_

 _She looked at him cautiously._

 _"It's nice to meet you. Excuse me…"_

 _He blocked her way when she tried to get past him._

 _"I didn't catch your name, miss."_

 _She blinked nervously._

 _"I'm sorry, but I really need to go. I shouldn't be here."_

 _"Why not?"_

 _"I…"_

 _"Miss Brea," a cold male voice said._

 _Lucien recognized the big and muscular man; he had seen him talking with Sir Charles earlier._

 _"Lord Tayburn requests your presence."_

 _Lucien frowned._

 _"Are you his daughter?" he asked._

 _"No," the girl murmured. "I'm his niece. Excuse me, sir."_

 _She moved quickly next to the big man and walked with him towards the servant's entrance._

 _"What did you think you were doing?" the man hissed. "You know you're not allowed to go outside."_

 _"I'm sorry," the girl murmured. "I just… Is he angry?"_

 _Lucien couldn't hear the man's reply; they were already too far away. He felt like he would have awoken from a trance. What had just happened? He pressed his lips together and headed back inside. As soon as he entered the hall, he noticed three new guests. Vampires. And not just any vampires, Lucien had seen these ones before. They were members of the Strix. What were they doing here? They didn't notice Lucien when the big man approached them._

 _"Lord Tayburn will see you in his study," the man stated. "This way please, gentlemen."_

 _Lucien followed them; he most definitely wanted to know what Tristan's lapdogs were doing here. They walked across two long hallways before reaching a large mahogany door. The big man knocked before opening it and they all went inside._

 _"Welcome, gentlemen," Sir Charles' voice said._

 _"Is this her?" one of the vampires asked._

 _"Yes, this is my lovely Brea. Quality merchandise, as promised."_

 _"Uncle, please…" the girl's desperate voice said. "I can be useful to you, please don't do this…"_

 _"I need to test her before you will receive the payment," one of the vampires stated. "Lord de Martel's order."_

 _"No!" the girl shouted. "Get your hands off me!"_

 _"Behave, Brea!" Sir Charles snapped. "I apologize, my lords, Morris can hold her down for you if you want…"_

 _"That won't be necessary. I think I can handle one girl…" The rest of his sentence turned into a cry of pain. "Not very smart, sweetheart," the vampire snarled. "I will make you pay for that."_

 _No._

 _Before Lucien even realized what he was doing, he had broken the door and zoomed into the study. He managed to surprise the vampires; they were all dead within two seconds. Then it was the big man's turn. Sir Charles he left the last._

 _"No, no, please…" he pleaded before Lucien ripped his heart out._

 _Then it was dead quiet. All he heard was one rapid heartbeat. He turned slowly to look at the girl; she had backed away against the wall._

 _"It's alright, darling," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you."_

 _She didn't say anything; she just looked at him cautiously._

 _"Listen, I'm sorry about…" he paused and waved his hand towards the bodies. "…that."_

 _"I'm not," she murmured._

 _He smiled and held out his hand for her._

 _"Come with me."_

 _She tilted her head._

 _"Why would I do that?"_

 _"Because there are more of them," he replied, pointing at the dead vampires. "I can keep you safe from them."_

 _"In exchange for what?"_

 _"We can talk about that later, right now I suggest we leave."_

 _She was quiet for few seconds before replying._

 _"Why should I trust you?"_

 _He grinned._

 _"Well, for starters, you are still alive, darling. I don't know why they want you, but since they do, there aren't many people who can keep you safe."_

 _"Right. And you are one of those people?"_

 _"Yes, I am." He held out his hand again. "Are you coming?"_

 _She hesitated for a brief moment before taking his hand. She was a warm little thing, warmer than most people. There was also something very special about her scent. She blinked nervously and touched her butterfly necklace when he lifted her up into his arms. This celebration had certainly turned more than interesting._


	3. The rose

**Warning, some mature content**

* * *

 **The rose**

Lucien sighed in contentment and lazily ran his fingertips along Brea's bare back. Her skin felt just as warm as always and her soft breasts pressed against his ribs. This was exactly what he had needed, he felt completely relaxed. Her body felt relaxed as well, her head was leaning against his chest.

"Aren't your guests going to wonder where you are?" she murmured after a long silence.

"Who cares about them," he huffed. "But if anyone asks, I can just say that I got lucky with my lady."

"I would advice against that if you want to get lucky again any time soon," she replied.

He smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I do love the makeup sex," he hummed.

"I'm sure you do. You annoy me so often that without it we probably wouldn't have any sex."

"Oh come on," he chuckled. "I'm not that bad."

"That's debatable," she huffed; he could feel that she was smiling. "Anyway, tell me about this sire of yours."

"I have already told you everything," he replied. "I'm going to his art exhibition tomorrow."

"Right. Do you think he is going to be happy to see you?"

"Could be, he is having a lot of problems with his siblings at the moment. But Nik has always been very unpredictable."

"Yes…"

She was quiet for a brief moment before raising her head.

"I want you to feed on me."

He raised his eyebrows.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and huffed at him.

"You heard me. Just do it."

His lips curved into a smirk when he observed her face.

"Is someone worried about me?"

"Oh please," she snorted. "This isn't about you. I have just discovered Harry Potter books; I don't have time to coddle you if you get yourself in trouble, so…" She paused and settled onto her back. "Do it."

He smiled and gently ran his fingers over her cheek.

"I have your blood in my system, darling."

"Yes, but we both know it's stronger straight from the source. And don't try to tell me you wouldn't want this."

Of course she was right, he did want this.

"But," she continued. "This is going to cost you."

"Is that so?" he hummed and leaned towards her. "Let's hear it then."

"I want to tie you up," she stated innocently.

His eyes widened.

"Come again?"

She bit her bottom lip.

"I read this book and… Never mind, that's my price. Take it or leave it, mister."

He stared at her for a moment, unable to decide what to think. After all their years together, she still managed to surprise him.

"Well," he purred and softly touched her lips with his own. "If that is what the lady wants."

"Not tonight though," she said. "You are going to need all your strength when I get started with you."

He licked his lips; she certainly knew how to turn him on. He took a hold of her wrists and pinned them above her head with one hand.

"You know you're driving me crazy."

"And you love it," she hummed teasingly and tilted her head. "Now drink."

"Not so fast," he said. "I agreed on your terms, but I want you to sweeten the deal for me, darling."

She frowned.

"How?"

He smirked and ran his hand up her leg to her hip.

"Oh… Fine, go ahead."

He shook his head.

"Not here."

He got up and walked over to the bathroom. It didn't take him long to run them a bath.

"Brea?" he called.

She was standing naked in the doorway when he looked up, but unfortunately her hair covered her breasts. He offered her his hand and helped her to climb into the bathtub. Neither of the spoke when he joined her, they were sitting opposite sides of the huge bathtub. Slowly he took a hold of her ankle and lifted her leg. He was dawdling because he enjoyed the anticipation. She sighed at his touch and tilted her head back when he kissed her ankle.

"Come here," he groaned. It was more of an order than a request.

Normally she didn't take orders, but now she didn't resist when he pulled her onto his lap. He took her mouth quite roughly with his own; the kiss was hot and hungry. She tasted just as delicious as always, she moaned when he slid his tongue into her mouth. His hand took a hold of the back of her head in order to keep her in place while his other hand went on her thigh and caressed it for a moment before he pushed her legs apart. She sank her nails into his shoulders when his fingers rubbed her sensitive nub. Still he didn't release her mouth, no matter how much she scratched him.

He was loving every second of this. No woman had ever turned him on like her. Her heart was beating like a drum and he could feel her body temperature rising. Her face was flushed and she was trembling, but he didn't allow her to move. Normally he knew better than trying to dominate her, but he had to admit that he enjoyed these moments. The possessive part of him wanted to make it clear to her who she belonged to. She was his, only his.

Feeling her climaxing made him smile and finally release her mouth. She was panting heavily when he lifted her on the side of the bathtub and spread her legs. He kissed her inner thigh before sinking his fangs into it. She gasped and took a hold of his hair. Tasting her blood in his mouth made him groan in pleasure. It was pure ecstasy. He drank greedily, but he controlled himself the whole time. He felt completely content when he raised his head and lifted her onto his lap.

"Thank you, Brea," he murmured and kissed her forehead.

"Sure," she replied and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Just…be careful. And yes, before you say anything, I am worried about you, of course I am."

He smiled and wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"Listen, darling…"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence when he heard a knock. His whole staff knew better than to disturb him when he was here. Unless it was an emergency. He sighed and touched Brea's hair.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's fine, go."

He kissed her before getting up. This better be a real emergency. His pants were on the floor next to the bed; he put them on and marched to the door.

"What?" he snapped while opening the door.

One of his assistants, a vampire called Anthony, looked a little startled.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Castle, but this was delivered to you. The messenger said that it must be given to you immediately."

The younger vampire was handing him a small box. Lucien took it without saying a word and closed the door. Brea came out of the bathroom wearing a short satin bathrobe.

"Lucien?"

He stared at the box, unwilling to open it. He knew perfectly well what it contained. A single red rose. Brea walked over to him and looked at the box.

"The rose?"

He nodded tensely.

"Alright…"

Lucien squished the box before throwing it against the wall.

"Hey, hey," Brea said and moved in front of him. She cupped his face with both hands. "Look at me. We'll handle this."

Lucien clenched his fists; he was struggling to control himself. That bastard… Of course he had to keep sending the damn roses, just to annoy Lucien.

"Listen to me," Brea said firmly. "I'll be fine, you don't have to worry. The deal you made with the Strix is a good one. I can handle Tristan."

Lucien didn't say anything, he was too angry to speak. Brea took his hand and kissed it.

"Come to bed, my love. Unless you want to go back to your party…"

"I don't," he cut in and scooped her up.

He carried her to the bed and carefully laid her down. She slipped her arms around his neck and snuggled against him when he got into bed beside her. Neither of them said a word.


	4. Unexpected savior

**Unexpected savior**

 _England, 1865_

 _Brea's heart was still pounding, but she tried her best to stay calm when she cautiously observed her unexpected savior. He was sitting opposite her in the carriage; his dark eyes were staring at her. Was that hunger in his eyes? She truly hoped not, but if he really didn't know why the Strix wanted her, she could have a small chance. Instinctively she touched her necklace. It was a gift from Alexander, the closest thing to a father and a friend she has ever had. He was the only person who had ever shown her kindness._

 _He was dead now, just because he had taken pity on her. He had risked everything to save her from the Strix. Sir Charles, Alexander's half-brother, had been nothing but a fool who have had no idea what he was dealing with. Those vampires would have killed him as soon as they would have been sure that they had found their "missing property". But Brea couldn't deny that she had been even a bigger fool for thinking that she could actually trust "Uncle Charles". He had no doubt planned to sell her the whole time. She suppressed an exhausted sigh; she was so tired._

 _"Are you alright, darling?" the vampire opposite her asked._

 _She forced herself to focus and looked at him._

 _"Yes, thank you. And… I also thank you for helping me, sir."_

 _"You can call me Lucien," he replied. "And you're welcome."_

 _She hesitated for a brief moment before continuing._

 _"I really am grateful, but I don't wish to disturb you for any longer," she stated as casually as she could. "Could you be so kind and ask the driver to stop so I can get out?"_

 _He raised his eyebrows; she wasn't sure what he was thinking. She didn't think he would let her go, but she needed to try. If this wouldn't work, then she would pretend to submit to him and seek for an opportunity to escape. She tried her best not to imagine what he would do to her before that. If he would taste her blood…_

 _"Can I ask you a question?" he said after a moment of silence._

 _"Sure," she replied cautiously._

 _"Do you have any money?"_

 _His question surprised her, but she got over that quickly._

 _"No, not on me, but I can arrange you money…"_

 _"No, no," he cut in. "That's not what I meant. I was merely asking because I doubt that you will get far without any money."_

 _"I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine, thank you," she replied cautiously. "Will you let me leave?"_

 _He bit his bottom lip; she noticed that he looked a little tense._

 _"Look, I will be honest with you," he stated. "Those men who came to buy you were very dangerous and there are many more of them. You don't have a chance to run from them, not by yourself. However…" He paused and leaned forward. "I can help you."_

 _"Why would you do that?"_

 _He smiled._

 _"Would you believe that I'm just so nice man?"_

 _"Not really," she murmured._

 _He seemed amused by her answer._

 _"Well, you would be right; I'm everything but a nice man. What I am is a ruthless, vicious killer."_

 _She nodded._

 _"I noticed that."_

 _There was definitely curiosity in his eyes when he looked at her._

 _"You don't seem afraid."_

 _"Do you want me to be?"_

 _"No, I don't. It's strange really…"_

 _They were both quiet for a moment, he seemed thoughtful._

 _"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what you need is a patron," he finally stated. "I would like to be your patron. I have plenty of money and recourses to guarantee your safety."_

 _She tensed and tried her best to look dignified._

 _"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not a prostitute."_

 _He smiled._

 _"That's not what I meant, darling. I am currently living in America and I will return there soon. I invite you to accompany me. It's a big country; you could start a new life there."_

 _Brea's eyes widened, she hadn't expected that._

 _"That's a very generous offer, but there must be something you want in return? I mean, you don't even know me."_

 _He seemed amused._

 _"I could say the same to you, my little butterfly, and yet you came with me after seeing me killing five men."_

 _She frowned._

 _"I have no reason to mourn none of those men. But I suppose I see your point."_

 _She folded her hands in her lap and tried to clear her thoughts. He was a vampire, one of the very people she needed to avoid at any cost. He could make her life the same kind of hell it had been before Alexander had taken her with him. Thinking about him made her touch the necklace again. Slowly she looked up and met Lucien's gaze. What she saw really confused her. He wasn't going to hurt her. Somehow she just knew that. He was indeed a ruthless, vicious killer, just like he had said, but somehow she knew that she would be safe with him._

* * *

Brea couldn't sleep. Her hand was still stroking Lucien's hair, although she could tell he was already asleep. She hated to see him so upset. He felt that he had failed her by agreeing to make the deal with the Strix. She had never thought like that, not even a second. Very carefully she got up and opened the drawer of her nightstand. It was full of chocolate bars and lollipops. Her body couldn't really handle anything salty or spicy, only sweet. It was a part of what she was.

She picked up a chocolate bar and made sure that Lucien was sleeping peacefully before walking over to the window. The box was still on the floor, but she refused to look at it. The rose was Tristan's idea of "an invitation". They would come for her soon and she would have to fulfill the most unpleasant part of the agreement. She hated it, but she didn't show that to Lucien. Just 24 hours, she could take that. Only the elite members of the Strix were allowed to feed on her directly, but unfortunately there were many elite members.

The only good thing was that she didn't have to worry about any of them touching her. Tristan wouldn't have allowed that, he considered himself a gentleman. The first time had been the worst, but it had also shown her how much she owed Lucien. Without him, her whole life would have been like that. When she had been a child, she had never been treated as a person; no one had cared about her thoughts and feelings. Lucien had always treated her kindly and he had never taken anything from her by force.

He could do that if he would want to, but she knew that he never would. She trusted him unconditionally and she would do anything to protect him. He didn't know the whole truth about what happened when she was away and she was determined to make sure that he would never know. It would drive him mad and he would no doubt do something that would jeopardize his safety. She sighed and looked outside. Lucien never took her absence well and the people of New Orleans were about to find that out.


	5. How Tristan met Brea

**How Tristan met Brea**

 _France, 1849_

 _"Welcome, sir," a middle-aged warlock called Ludwig said. "We are honored to have you here."_

 _Tristan's face was callous when he greeted the warlock with a nod. Ludwig was one of the most powerful warlocks in Europe; he had worked for the Strix for years. He was a medium high bald man who had black beard._

 _"I am curious to see this breakthrough of yours," Tristan stated._

 _"Of course," Ludwig replied and glanced at the gloomy dark-haired young man who was silently standing behind him. "Alexander, bring her here."_

 _"Yes, master."_

 _"He is my apprentice," Ludwig explained after the young man left the room. "A very talented young warlock."_

 _"I see," Tristan replied. The matter didn't really interest him; he only wanted to see the girl._

 _It didn't take long when the young man returned, he was carrying the girl in his arms._

 _"Here she is," Ludwig announced, he sounded more than pleased with himself._

 _Alexander placed the girl on the floor, she was trembling. She was maybe 3 or 4, Tristan really wasn't sure._

 _"Come here, girl," Ludwig demanded._

 _She was clearly scared, her hazel eyes looked at Alexander, but he didn't pay any attention to her. Ludwig huffed in annoyance and marched over to her. She tried to back away when he grabbed her arm._

 _"How many times do I have to teach you this same lesson?" he snapped. "When I tell you to do something, you do it."_

 _Her little heart was pounding when he dragged her in front of Tristan._

 _"Now offer Lord de Martel a drink."_

 _Her whole body was shaking when she offered Tristan her small wrist. For a moment he was unable to react, this was… He had done all kinds of things without giving them a second thought, but he had never fed on a child._

 _"Do you prefer her neck?" Ludwig asked. "It's not a problem."_

 _Tristan glanced at him calmly._

 _"I believe I would like some privacy."_

 _"Of course. We shall wait in the hallway."_

 _Tristan waited until Ludwig and his apprentice had left the room before he addressed the girl._

 _"Good evening, young lady."_

 _She didn't say anything; she kept her eyes on the floor. Tristan didn't really have any experience about children and he wasn't sure how they should be spoken to. He needed to taste her blood, but he wasn't comfortable with the idea of biting her. She was just so…small._

 _"Alright…"_

 _He considered the situation for a moment and decided to take a seat. There was an armchair in front of the fireplace; it seemed like a good option._

 _"Alright, we need to have a conversation, so I will lift you up now," he informed her and waited for a brief moment in case she wanted to comment on that. Apparently she didn't. He picked her up and noticed immediately how warm she was. Her body was still shaking when he carried her to the armchair, sat down and placed her onto his lap._

 _"My name is Tristan de Martel," he said and waited for her to introduce herself. She didn't. Judging by her heartbeat, she was still scared._

 _"What is your name?"_

 _"Brea," she replied timidly, she wasn't looking at him._

 _"That's a lovely name. And you are a lovely little lady."_

 _Slowly she looked up and tilted her head._

 _"Are you going to bite me now, sir?" she asked._

 _"No. What I would like you to do is give me your finger. Any finger. Can you do that, sweetheart?"_

 _She nodded and offered him her right index finger._

 _"Thank you. Now I want you to close your eyes. Don't open them before I say so."_

 _She obeyed, but he could tell she was nervous. He would make this quick._

 _"You will feel a little sting now," he said when his fangs came out. "No need to be afraid, just keep your eyes closed."_

 _He brought her finger to his mouth and carefully pressed it against his razor sharp fang. She flinched a little, but she kept her eyes closed. Few drops of her blood were all he needed to be sure. Ludwig had succeeded. Tristan smiled and patted the girl's head._

 _"Alright, sweetheart, you can open your eyes now."_

 _She obeyed and looked at him insecurely._

 _"Very good," he said and touched her copper hair. "You are a very special young lady, my dear Brea. Very special indeed."_

* * *

Tristan was standing on a rooftop, silently observing Lucien's penthouse. He wasn't surprised; unfortunately money couldn't buy sense of style. That wasn't anything new; Lucien had always lacked all kind of sophistication. Sure they were allies, it benefited them both, but they certainly didn't like each other. In fact, Tristan was pretty sure that Lucien hated him. Because of Brea. Lucien refused to understand how generous Tristan had been by allowing Brea to stay with him. Many members of the Strix hadn't approved that, but they hadn't dared to challenge Tristan.

Brea's stored blood was sent to the Strix every week and she came to them when they needed some fresh blood. Other than that she lived with Lucien. It was more than a fair deal. Tristan certainly hadn't agreed to it for Lucien. No, he had done it for Brea. For some incomprehensible reason she actually loved Lucien and she would be very unhappy if she couldn't be with him. Despite of everything, Tristan didn't want her to be unhappy.

He sighed and was just about to leave when he saw her in the window. She was wearing a short light pink satin bathrobe and she was eating a chocolate bar. Her hair was down and she stared out the window absentmindedly. She seemed troubled. His guess was that she had received his invitation. The whole rose thing was perhaps childish, but Tristan couldn't deny that he enjoyed annoying Lucien.

It had all started after they had made the agreement. Tristan had wanted to handle things in a civilized manner, like a gentleman, so he had brought Brea flowers when he and Aya had come to pick her up. Lucien hadn't been very pleased by that and he would have no doubt attacked Tristan if Brea wouldn't have managed to calm him down. He had indeed been unnaturally calm when Brea had left with Tristan and Aya. Many people had lost their lives that night.

Well, Lucien had never been very subtle. Or stable for that matter. Nevertheless they had work to do here since they happened to have a common goal. It made no difference how deeply they loathed one another; they would still watch each other's back, as bizarre as that was. There was nothing that would unite people more efficiently than a common enemy. The Mikaelsons would find that out soon enough.


	6. The prophecy

**The prophecy**

"Please excuse the mess, I've been entertaining," Lucien said and pushed the doors to his penthouse open. The place was again full of vampires; they were dancing, drinking and feeding on humans. Nik didn't seem surprised at all when he looked around.

"Well, you never were one for subtlety," he stated, a note of amusement clear in his voice.

Lucien smirked and tapped Nik's shoulder, motioning his sire to follow him. Their reunion had gone surprisingly well, although Nik clearly hadn't taken Lucien's warning seriously. Hopefully that would change soon. Lucien led him to the private part of the penthouse, no guests were allowed there. Quickly Lucien glanced at the door to Brea's room and instinctively touched the key in his pocket. It was still there and she was in her room. She was safe. If only he could always keep her safe… He couldn't deny that a part of him, the possessive part, would have wanted to hide her away from the world forever, to make sure that no one but him would ever touch her or even look at her.

" _A gilded cage is still a cage…"_

No, she deserved so much better. He had always tried his best to give her everything she wanted, but there had been certain precautions he had needed to take to guarantee her safety. Unfortunately that hadn't been enough; the damn Strix had still found her. He wouldn't have made any kind of deals with them if Brea wouldn't have begged him to. She had said that it was better to have them as an ally than an enemy. Obviously she had been right and the deal they had negotiated was more than beneficial for Lucien, but still… Brea was his and sharing her was intolerable.

"What's in there?" Nik asked and cocked his head towards the end of the hallway.

"Just my bedroom and a guestroom," Lucien replied. "Nothing important. What I brought you here for is in this room."

He opened the door to his study and motioned Nik to enter.

"Please."

Nik raised an eyebrow, but he walked in. Lucien followed him and closed the door.

"Alright…"

Lucien went straight to his safe and typed the security code. The safe entailed some cash, papers and a very old parchment shielded inside plastic. Carefully he picked it up and placed it on his desk.

"Here."

Nik frowned when he approached the desk.

"What's this?"

Lucien pressed his lips together and crossed his arms.

"A prophecy about the downfall of your family."

Nik rolled his eyes, he didn't seem impressed.

"Oh please, if this is what you bring me here for…"

"It was written over a thousand years ago by a witch called Ayanna," Lucien cut in. "Perhaps you knew her?"

Nik's eyes narrowed when he heard the name, he looked at the parchment.

"Where did you get this?"

"I have spent several lifetimes collecting items such as this," Lucien replied. "And believe me, this one is authentic, I've had many experts to confirm that. As you can see, it's written in ancient symbols, I'm sure you can translate it better than I can, but I have managed to make a rough translation."

He paused and handed Nik a piece of paper.

"The first part isn't very interesting, creatures of darkness, born out of a hideous crime, the balance of nature is broken, a curse spreading across the land like a plague, the blood of the innocent, death, chaos, blah, blah, blah. What I think I might find interesting is this part."

Nik stared at the paper.

"The great empire of blood will fall when three remains, two already crossed, their fate will be sealed, they all will be lost. Divided, broken beyond prepare, they shall learn that nothing lasts for always and forever. As the crime against nature is undone, they will see the Beast that is to come. When the Beast will rise out of the ashes, they all shall fall…. You can't be serious," Nik snorted. "This is nothing but gibberish."

"Perhaps," Lucien replied. "I still thought that you would like to see this."

Nik snorted contemptuously and dropped the paper on the desk.

"I'm only trying to protect you…" Lucien started when Nik grabbed him and threw him roughly against the wall.

"I am Klaus Mikaelson, I don't need anyone's protection!" he snarled. "Nor will I be warned by lesser men!" He paused and moved in front of Lucien. "I am the thing the lesser men fear."

Lucien smiled; it seemed that Nik hadn't changed. He was still as overdramatic as ever.

"Then act like it," Lucien huffed and walked past him. "Instead of doting on your pretty human girl and pouting about your family's disapproval." He paused and turned to face Nik. "Yes, you _are_ Klaus Mikaelson, you are most ruthless, wicked beast who ever lived. I came here to remind you of that."

Nik's eyes narrowed.

"I need no reminding of who I am. That truth has been clear to me for a thousand years."

"Yes and in those years you have required countless enemies. With the sire lines at war, you now have mine as well. Anyone who wants to kill me can now come after you. Since I have so many rivals and because I _do not_ want to die, I beg you, let me help you. From now on I am the only one you can trust."

Nik's gaze became more piercing when he leaned towards Lucien.

"I don't trust anyone."

With that, he turned around and marched out. Lucien rolled his eyes, he wasn't really surprised. He put the parchment back into the safe and locked it. For a moment he stood in front of the safe and touched the key in his pocket. Brea was no doubt waiting for him to tell her what had happened. He hadn't told her what he was really planning; it was safer for her not to know. Slowly he made his way back to the hallway; the music was still playing loud. He knocked quietly before unlocking the door to Brea's room. She was sitting in the armchair with a book; she stood up when he entered the room.

"So? How did it go?" she asked.

He shrugged.

"As expected. Nik isn't exactly a trusting type."

"You two have something in common then," she replied.

He could tell that there was something else bothering her, he walked over to her and cupped her face.

"Brea? What is it?"

She hesitated for a moment before replying.

"I saw the news today, Lucien. About the man whose face had been mutilated last night."

He tensed, but didn't say anything. Brea bit her bottom lip.

"Lucien… You are not going to lose me, I won't let that happen."

"No," he replied firmly and leaned towards her. " _I_ won't let that happen, I promise you."


	7. Magic bullet

**Magic bullet**

Brea was sleeping peacefully when something suddenly yanked her from sleep. Her eyes flew open and she got into a sitting position as quickly as she could. Lucien. He wasn't here. Something was wrong. No more than a second later she was on her feet. Her mind worked fast, she ran to the closet and picked up a wooden box. It entailed a gun and some very special bullets. Brea hadn't really known anything about guns before Gregory, an ex navy seal and the head of Lucien's security team, had given her shooting lessons. Fortunately for her, he had taught her well.

She took the gun and ran to the door. It was locked from outside, but of course she could open it from inside. Normally she didn't leave her room, but this was most definitely an emergency. She ran towards the living room as fast as she could, she was barefoot and only wearing a very short and revealing light pink satin nightie. That made no difference now, although normally she wouldn't have let any other man see her like this, she knew how jealous Lucien was. She had almost reached the living room when she heard him screaming. He was lying on his back on the floor and someone was biting his arm. A werewolf.

"Now I ask you what your hunters did with my wife!" the werewolf snarled. "Answers, now!"

Brea didn't hesitate; she lifted the gun, aimed and shot. The werewolf let out a furious growl when the bullet hit his chest. She had purposely missed his heart since she didn't know if Lucien needed him alive. The bullets were enchanted so he was still very much in pain when he fell on the floor.

"Jackson!" a male voice shouted from the door.

Quickly Brea looked up and aimed at this man with the gun. He was a tall dark-haired man who was wearing a suit. She kept aiming at him, but she didn't shoot when she realized that he couldn't enter the penthouse. That made him a vampire who wasn't Lucien's sire line. The boundary spell seemed to be working. This other vampire was clearly furious.

"Lucien," he snarled. "I'm warning you…"

"And I'm warning you," Brea cut in. "I don't know or care who you are, but what you need to know about me is that I'm an excellent shooter, I don't miss. These bullets are lethal for pretty much anything, including a vampire, so I suggest you leave while you still can."

The vampire looked slightly surprised before his eyes narrowed.

"Lucien, perhaps you should explain to your little…bodyguard who she is dealing with," the vampire stated.

"Brea," Lucien said tensely, his hand touched her shoulder. "Please return to your room."

She turned to look at him and saw the blood on his throat and on the collar of his t-shirt.

"You're hurt…"

"I'm fine," he cut in. "Go. Please."

He was rubbing the werewolf bite on his arm; it hadn't healed yet, although he had her blood in his system. It would eventually heal, but not quickly enough. He needed more of her blood; it would heal him immediately and take the pain away. She pressed her lips together and gave him a determined look; she wasn't going to leave him here alone.

"Go, Brea," he demanded, she could tell that he meant it.

The werewolf had stood up; he was pressing his chest with his hand and glaring at Brea.

"You…"

Lucien stepped immediately in front of Brea.

"Go."

Reluctantly she obeyed; she didn't want Lucien to get more hurt because of her. He would have no doubt protected her from the werewolf and from this other vampire as well if he had to.

"Relax, I'll have my people to inspect the road kill the first thing in the morning," Lucien huffed to the werewolf when Brea walked out. She went back to her room; no one except Lucien would be able to follow her there. She knew perfectly well that Lucien wanted her to stay there. To be safe. What about him then?

Of course she knew that he was a thousand years old vampire, he was more than capable of taking care of himself and he had her blood in his system, but… How could she not worry about him? He was her beloved, her companion. He was simply hers. She should have been there by his side to make sure he was safe. Sure if she wouldn't have been weak and useless. Nervously she paced back and forth, waiting for him. Finally the door opened.

"Are you alright?" she asked immediately.

He entered the room and closed the door.

"I'm fine. Our guests are gone now."

She marched in front of him and inspected the bite. It hadn't healed yet. Determinedly she offered him her wrist.

"Drink."

He didn't argue, probably because the werewolf bite was painful. He took her wrist and gently kissed it before his fangs came out. She didn't flinch when he bit her, he was very careful, as always.

"Thank you, darling," he said and kissed her wrist again when he was finished. The werewolf bite was completely healed now. "About what you did…"

"Save it," she snapped. "I'm not going to apologize for protecting you."

He smiled.

"That's not what I meant. You were simply magnificent, darling."

She frowned.

"Are you mocking me?"

"What, no!" He paused and touched her hair. "That really turned me on…"

"Ah, ah," she said and took a step back when he tried to kiss her. "Who were those people?"

"No one important…"

"Lucien," she cut in firmly. "Talk to me."

He sighed and gave up.

"The vampire was Elijah Mikaelson."

Brea's eyes widened.

"Your sire's brother?"

"Yes."

"Oh… What did he want?"

"Well, you remember I told you about Nik's "miracle child"? Apparently the child's mommy is missing and Elijah assumed I have something to do with that."

"I see," Brea replied. "Was he right?"

Lucien shrugged.

"Could be, I don't know."

"Are you in danger?"

He looked at her for a brief moment before his lips curved into a warm smile.

"No more than usual, darling." He paused and kissed her forehead. "Besides, I have you protecting me, don't I?"

She huffed and rolled her eyes.

"We'll see."

Brea really didn't like any of this at all. She would have to go to Tristan soon and fulfill her part of their agreement. She really didn't want to leave Lucien right now, especially after hearing about the second man whose face had been mutilated. This could become really ugly really fast. She truly hoped that they would have never come here in the first place.


	8. 72 hours

**72 hours**

72 hours. That wasn't good at all. Even 24 hours would have been too long right now. Brea gritted her teeth; Tristan certainly had the worst timing. Normally she only had to spend 24 hours with the Strix, but according to the agreement, they had the right to keep her up to 72 hours if there was a very, very good reason. Now there unfortunately was. They needed to take more of her blood than normally and that meant she needed longer recovery times. Obviously they didn't want to cause her any permanent damage. How very kind of them. Brea had done her best to calm Lucien down, but he was furious. She really was afraid to leave him. He was clenching his fists and pacing back and forth in her room.

"Lucien," she said gently. "It's alright."

"No, it's not," he snapped. "That bastard has no right…"

He let out a growl and slammed his fist through her small coffee table.

"Hey!" she said firmly and marched in front of him. "Now you will listen to me, mister." She paused and cupped his face. "You will stop acting like a spoiled child right now and get a grip. It's just 72 hours; I'll be back before you know it."

"That's not the point," Lucien replied tensely. "You shouldn't have to do this at all."

Brea felt a sting in her heart when she saw the distress in his eyes.

"Hey… I've told you it's not that bad. They don't hurt me or treat me disrespectfully."

Lucien snorted and shook his head.

"Lucien, look at me," Brea demanded. "I need to know that you'll be alright while I'm not here."

"Of course I'll be alright," he murmured, he wasn't looking at her.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes."

"Look me in the eye and say that."

He sighed before facing her.

"Brea, I'm over a thousand years old…"

"And yet you act like a child, my love," she taunted. "Just look at my poor coffee table, what did it ever do to you?"

"Funny," he snorted.

She grinned and gave him a tender kiss. He wrapped his arms tightly around her before she managed to pull away.

"Brea…"

"I know," she said gently. "I love you too."

They were both quiet for a while; he stroked her hair when she leaned her head on his shoulder. A knock on the door made him tense. It was time. She kissed him again before pulling away as gently as she could. He didn't say anything when she picked up her small bag. Tristan always had clothes and other things for her, but she never accepted anything from him. Well, almost anything. Unfortunately she was forced to accept his help after the…feeding. She was always too weak to even lift a finger.

Lucien didn't know about any of that and she needed to make sure that he would never find out. This whole thing was already difficult enough for him. Quickly she looked at her reflection in the mirror while grabbing her light green sweater. She was wearing a comfortable floral print dress and tennis shoes. After the first time she had noticed how important practical clothes were. Reluctantly Lucien opened the door; his assistant informed him that his guests had arrived. Brea touched Lucien's hand before they headed towards the front door. Aya and two male members of the Strix were waiting for them; thankfully there was no sight of Tristan.

"Hello, Lucien," Aya greeted him.

She couldn't enter the penthouse and obviously Lucien had no intention to invite her in.

"Brea," she added.

"Hello, Aya," Brea replied for the both of them while Lucien settled for glaring at their "guests".

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," Brea replied and looked at Lucien.

His face was completely blank, she squished his hand reassuringly. That was all she could do in front of Aya and the others. The last thing she wanted was to make Lucien look weak.

"I'll call you," she said quietly.

He nodded rigidly.

"Make sure you do."

She forced herself to stay perfectly calm when she marched to Aya.

"She will be returned after 72 hours in her current condition," Aya stated. "Standard arrangement, nothing exceptional. Anything you want me to tell Tristan?"

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, I have several things, but I doubt he wants to hear them."

Aya looked slightly amused.

"Understood. You have a nice evening now."

Brea glanced at Lucien one more time before following Aya to the elevator. The two male vampires were right behind them.

"Tray can take your bag," Aya stated and cocked her head towards the other male vampire when the elevator doors closed.

"No, thank you," Brea replied.

Aya didn't say anything else, she usually wasn't very chatty. At least not with Brea. The car was waiting in front of the apartment building; Tray opened the door for Aya and Brea. No one said anything during the ride that lasted almost 20 minutes. Brea wasn't surprised when she got out of the car and saw a huge mansion. Tristan didn't stay in small shacks. She bit her bottom lip while following Aya to the front door. The place was nothing but luxurious, but Brea couldn't really concentrate on admiring the décor, she had plenty of other things on her mind.

She was worried about Lucien, but she was also nervous for herself, she couldn't deny that. How much blood were they going to take? Aya led her to her room and told her to make herself comfortable, Tristan would join her soon. The room was nice, just like all the other ones, but Brea barely noticed that. She placed her bag on the king-size bed and glanced at the table. Chocolate, candy, pies, cupcakes, four different kind of juice. She had no appetite, but she was very much aware that she would need all her strength. Reluctantly she ate few cupcakes and chocolate bars and drank couple of glasses of apple juice.

"Hello, Brea," Tristan's voice suddenly said.

She startled, she hadn't heard him coming in. Slowly she turned to look at him.

"Tristan," she murmured.

"You look well, my dear," he stated politely.

"Yeah, not for long."

She didn't bother to hide her bitterness, although she didn't think for a second that he cared how she felt. She was nothing but a blood bag.

"So, are you going to be the first?"

"Yes," he replied. "But I was hoping to have a word with you first."

"Really?" she huffed. "What would you like to talk about?"

He walked over to her and crossed his arms.

"About you and Lucien."

"No," she snapped immediately. "We're not going to talk about that."

"Brea," he sighed. "I'm concerned for your safety. Lucien has always been unstable and lately…"

"He would never hurt me," she snapped. "Never. I love him."

"Yes, I know," he sighed. "But I…"

"Just save it, we both know you don't really care about me. You only care about my blood."

He shook his head.

"That's not true. I… I have tried…"

"Oh please," she snorted. "You want to be my father now? Hate to break this to you, but that ship have sailed a long time ago."

He was quiet for a while before replying.

"I don't expect you to forgive me."

"Good," she responded coldly and handed him her wrist. "Now let's get this over with."

He took her wrist and pulled her sleeve up.

"I need to take more than usually," he stated. "A lot more."

"Why?" she asked, she couldn't control her curiosity.

"Well… Let's just say that I like to be prepared for anything."

"Right," she muttered.

"I think you better sit down."

She sighed and allowed him to lead her to the sofa. This would be fun. He sat down next to her and brought her wrist onto his mouth. She held still when his fangs punctured her skin. It didn't hurt much; he wasn't nearly as rough as some of the others. He drank for a long while before finally pulling away.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," she murmured although she felt dizzy. He went to get her a glass of juice.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"No, thank you," he replied. "I have missed you."


	9. Normal relationship

**Normal relationship**

Klaus wasn't in a good mood when he returned home, he have had an unpleasant day. He had tried his best not to think about the war between the sire lines and the ridiculous "prophecy" but he couldn't deny that he wanted to study that parchment more. Ayanna… Klaus had never liked the old witch, but she had undoubtedly been powerful. Unfortunately he had plenty of other things to worry about now when Hayley was back in the picture. If she would even think about taking Hope…

"Klaus?" Camille's voice said. Apparently she had been waiting for him at the courtyard. "Do you have a moment?"

"Sure, love," Klaus replied. "What is it?"

She seemed tense.

"Have you heard about these resent murders?"

Klaus frowned.

"What murders?"

"So far three men have been killed," Camille replied and showed Klaus a picture from one of the crime scenes. "Their faces were mutilated like this."

Klaus stared at the picture. Certainly looked familiar…

"These murders started right after your "old acquaintance" arrived."

Klaus looked up.

"I see. No need to worry, love, I will handle this."

"I hope so," Camille replied.

Klaus sighed after she had left. Oh, Lucien…

"It seems that young Lucien is just as charming as ever," Elijah stated, he had just appeared in front of Klaus. "Did you heal his werewolf bite?"

"What?" Klaus asked. "He told me it was just a scratch."

Elijah shook his head.

"It most certainly wasn't. Jackson bit him."

Klaus' eyebrows furrowed, he didn't like what he was hearing. For some reason Lucien had lied to him.

"Do you know who the girl is?" Elijah asked.

"What girl?"

Elijah raised an eyebrow.

"The girl who apparently lives with him. Copper hair, quite pretty little thing? She shot Jackson."

"What?"

"Yes, Lucien claimed that she is some kind of "random entertainment" but I doubt that," Elijah huffed. "She seemed very determined to protect him and if I wouldn't know better, I would say that the feeling was mutual."

Klaus didn't say anything; he was processing this new information. If Lucien had a girlfriend who was living with him, why hadn't he told Klaus about her? And why had he lied about the werewolf bite? What was he hiding and why? Things started to look quite bad for Lucien.

"By the way, Tristan is in town," Elijah stated.

"Oh great," Klaus snorted. "Just what we needed."

Elijah looked slightly amused.

"I will handle him, no need to worry. I suggest you handle yours."

"Elijah," Klaus murmured before his brother walked away. "There's something I need to tell you." He paused and sighed. "Lucien told me some things I think you should hear."

* * *

Lucien sat on the armchair in Brea's room and stared at the brand new coffee table. It wasn't like the one he had broken, but hopefully she would like it. He wanted everything to be perfect when she would return home. Two more days… The waiting was driving him crazy. He had just taken a cold shower to calm himself, but it hadn't really helped. The whole "deal" infuriated him. His butterfly wasn't merchandise. She deserved so much better. She was special, unique. She was his. Slowly he stood up and was just about to walk over to her bed when a knock on the door caught his attention.

"Excuse me, sir," Anthony said. "You have a guest, detective Kinney. He would like to have a word with you."

A human detective? Lucien couldn't really decide was he amused or annoyed.

"Would you like me to call one of your lawyers?" Anthony asked.

"That won't be necessary," Lucien replied. "Tell the detective I will be right there."

* * *

"Time!" Aya's firm voice commanded.

The two vampires who were feeding on Brea reluctantly raised their head and placed her wrists on the armrests. The next ones were already waiting for their turn; there were two lines in front of her. Tristan was standing few steps away from the armchair where Brea was sitting; his eyes were on her the whole time. She was clearly exhausted; she pressed her lips together and glanced at him.

"That's enough for now," he said. "The lady needs to rest. Leave us, please."

Some of the vampires didn't look very pleased, but none of them argued. Aya left too and closed the door. Tristan walked over to the armchair and touched Brea's hair. His poor girl…

"Thank…you," she murmured; her voice was barely a whisper.

He smiled and kissed her forehead, knowing perfectly well that she was too weak to protest.

"Let's get you to bed, shall we?"

Normally she wouldn't have allowed him to lift her up and he couldn't deny that a part of him enjoyed these moments. He could take care of her, just like he should have done a long time ago. Her body felt just as warm as always, her head fell against his shoulder when he scooped her up. Gently he laid her on the bed and helped her to drink some juice before tucking her in.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked.

She nodded, although the gesture was barely noticeable. She was breathing heavily and a tear rolled down her cheek. It cut Tristan like a knife. He really couldn't bear to see her tears.

"Brea…"

"Don't…go," she asked weakly.

"I won't," he replied immediately and stroked her hair. "Rest, sweetheart, you are safe, I promise."

She sighed weakly and closed her eyes. Despite of everything, she trusted him to keep her safe. Not that she would have ever admitted it or asked anything from him when she wasn't as defenseless and vulnerable as she was now. He kept stroking her hair, although he could tell that she was fast asleep. She looked so fragile. For a moment he saw the little girl who had looked at him so trustingly. The memory was painful.

"Please forgive me," he murmured and leaned down to kiss her forehead. He didn't think that she would ever forgive him; he had failed her in every possible way. He truly hoped that letting her live with Lucien wasn't another failure. Brea had assured that Lucien had never laid a hand on her, but Tristan wasn't sure if he believed her. After everything she had been through, how could she know anything about a normal relationship? There was no way of knowing how Lucien treated her when they were alone. Tristan sighed and gently touched her cheek.

"It's alright, little one," he murmured. "My beautiful girl."


End file.
